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Date: 01/05/2015 Page No: 48 Location: Main Circulation: 60000

Edition: National

The Hyundai i20 Active is the latest kid on the hatchback-turned-compact-crossover block and it's a good product. But how does it fare against the competition? Read on to find out

fcfc Story: Aninda Sardar Photography: Sanjay Raikar

Copyright of the article is with the publication

SHOOTOUT i2Q Active vEtios Cross

w&Pro i.c-Ji1

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SHOOTOUT iZO Active v Etios Cross

THE PATHFINDER IN THE hatchback-turned-compact-crossover segment was the Volkswagen Polo when VW launched the Cross Polo. Some time later, Japanese giant Toyota decided to create their own | version" of the compact crossover.

Naturally, |they chose the Etios Liva and turned it into a more macho crossover product, calling it the Etios Cross (somewhat unimaginatively). The latest manufacturer to join this bandwagon is Hyundai with the'izc Active. Now, in an ideal world we would have loved to pi Leach of the three against the other? ro see which of them will get to keep the crown in a segment that hasn't really taken off as well as the manufacturers would have hoped. However, for the -purpose of this test we will keep ourselves restricted to the Hyundai

izo Active (obviously) and the Toyota Etios Cross. In both cases, the vehicles we used were the absolute range-toppers with their respective diesel engines. So, here goes...

Visually, the Hyundai drives away with the prize before Toyota have

j even started their engine. The izo Active, given that it 's based on the

! new-generation Elite i2C, is a much I better-looking car. The design I language is contemporary and eye-| catching. The subtle changes like the

new alloy wheel design, the j understated cladding, the round fog-

lamps (both up front and at the rear), J the roof-rails, and the boot spoiler

! only add to the Hyundai's appeal. In the (ooks department, the Toyota clearly follows where the Hyundai leads. Of course, with the addition of

i the cladding and the roof-rails the

Etios looks better in the Cross form than in its Liva manifestation.

Open the doors of each of these two cars here and you'll instantly feel that the i20 Active feels more solid and reassuring. Get inside and it's a repeat story. The Hyundai's interior is way ahead of the pack, and not just the Toyota alone. The quality, fit-and-finish and even the visual appeal is top-notch. This is a cabin where you enjoy. The Toyota's interior, despite the upgrade in materials from the first Etios Liva that was introduced, looks outclassed compared to the i20 Active. Where the Etios Cross hits back is in space for the rear passengers. It does feel roomier than the Hyundai, which again wrestles the Etios Cross back into its place with a much bigger boot. •

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SHOOTOUT i2Q Active v Etios Cross

Hyundai 120 Active SX CRDi (Rs 10.11 lakh, OTR, Purie) ••••*• car Road Test 397

TEST RESULTS

$ Wheelbase 2570mm

Overall length 3985mm

Width (excluding mirrors) 1734mm Front track 1514mm Rear track 1513mm Kerb weight 1213 kg

SPECIFICATIONS

m

©•

ENGINE

Cylinders Four, in-line Engine Layout Front, transverse

Type Turbocharged, Dl

Fuel Diesel

Bore x stroke 75.0 x 79.0 Capacity 1.396cc

Compression ratio 17.0:1

Valvegear DOHC, 4 valves/cyl

ENGINE OUTPUT

Max power (PS) 90 Power peak (rpm) 4000 Red line (rpm) 4750

Max torque (Nm) 220 Torque peak (rpm) 1500-2750

TRANSMISSION

Six-speed, manual

1st gear 3.644

2nd gear 1.967

3rd gear 1.258

4th gear 0.907 5th gear 0.725 6th gear 0.634 Reverse gear 3.591

Final drive 4.180

Drive wheels FWD

STEERING

Type Rack and pinion, electric

power assisted, speed-sensitive

Lock to lock 2.9 turns

WHEELS AND TYRES

Wheel size 16"

Tyre size 195/55 R16

BRAKES

Front Discs

Rear Drums

SUSPENSION

Front Independent MacPherson

strut with coil spring

Rear Coupled torsion beam

with coll spring

ACCOMMODATION

Seating 5

Head Room, F/R 980/950

Leg Room F (max/mln) 1230/990

Knee Room F (max/min) 850/610

Knee Room R (max/min) 840/600

Shoulder space 1300

Fuel tank 45 litres

Boot space 326 litres

DRIVER AIDS

ABS, EBD, impact-sensing auto

door lock, reverse camera, alrbags

1 PERFORMANCE

0-400m sprint: 20.18 s Terminal speed: 110.96 km/h

10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

lkm sprint: 36.94 s Terminal speed: 142.44 km/h

CAR RATINGS Design & Style:

Powertrain:

Performance:

Fuel Efficiency:

Dynamic Ability:

*****

*****

****,'.;

*****

****•;:

Space:

Creature Comforts:

Driver Appeal:

Safety:

Interiors:

IN-GEAR SPEEDS (km/h)

Gear Indicated True 1st 39 36.7

2nd 71 67.8

3rd 119 107.2 4th 145 140.2

5th 160 152.2 6th 168 158.3

TOP SPEED

Achieved 158.3 km/h

OVERTAKING ACCELERATION

Roll-ons

Speed 3rd 4th 5th 40-60 3.13 6.64 8.19

60-80 3.25 3.71 5.46 80-100 5.03 4.33 6.12

100-120 NA 5.78 9.33

BRAKING TEST

From 80 - 0 km/h 2.40s, 26.80m

From 100 - 0 km/h 2.97s, 41.22m

PERFORMANCE FACTORS

Power/mass (PS/tonne) 74.19

Power/litre (PS/Utre) 64.47

Torque/litre (Nm/litre) 157.59

FUEL CONSUMPTION

City 18.0

Highway 24.0

Overall* 19.5

* Overall Is 25% highway and 75%

city driving

TEST CONDITIONS

Altitude 550m above MSL

Weather Warm, windless, dry

HIGHLIGHTS O Equipment O Fuel Efficiency O Styling O Space

O Turbo lag

*****

*****

****-;",'

*****

*****

Suspension:

Ride Quality:

Handling:

Steering:

Braking:

****':",•

*****

****•

****•

*****'

CAR INDIA'S test and performance data Is the sole copyright of Nest Gen Publishing Ltd. No part of the data or text can be used in any form for any purpose or promotion or advertisement without the explicit written permission of the editor. (Performance testing by Aspi Bhathena)

52 I CAR INDIA MAY 2015 www.carindia.in

Thus far it would appear that the Hyundai will run away with the prize. However, the real test of a car can only happen once you've got past its exterior and interior and have actually driven it. Start the engines simultaneously and you'll realise that the i20 Active's 1.4-litre CRDi unit is a shade less noisy than the Etios Cross' 1.4-litre D-4D unit. Get going, though, and the balance swings in the Toyota's favour almost immediately. Right from the get go, the Etios Cross feels the sprightlier of the two. Apart from the fact that the Etios Cross is lighter than the izo Active, its engine also suffers from less turbo lag. While in the Toyota, the turbo has spooled up by the time the engine had gathered 1,500 revs, in the izo Active you will find yourself waiting for another 250-300 RPM, because in the latter the turbo lag exists until nearly 1,800 RPM. Before that, the Hyundai seems to lack purpose in its progress. The test figures, however, tell a slightly different story. Thanks to the higher output of the 1.4-litre CRDi unit in the i20 Active — 90 PS and 220 Nm as opposed to the Etios Cross' 68 PS

and 170 Nm — the Hyundai posts a marginally quicker 0-100 km/h dash, which it accomplishes in 16.17 seconds compared to the Toyota's 16.18 seconds. The Hyundai engine is more fuel-efficient as well.

Some of the aforementioned turbo lag can, of course, be remedied by judicious use of gears and the i20 Active's six-speed transmission is actually quite good. It has short throws and slots in with a nice and positive click. Ratios are well spaced too. However, switch places with the Etios Cross and the Toyota comes up on top. Its five-speed gearbox offers even shorter throws and is as precise as the Hyundai 'box.

In the handling department, the Toyota edges ahead. However, not by much. The handling of the Etios Cross is marginally better than what the iao Active is capable of, even though the dynamic abilities of the new-generation i20 platform are quite a bit superior to what used to be in the old car. Both steering units are equally quick and provide an equal level of feedback, but the i20 Active's unit feels lighter at city speeds. The ride quality is equally •

The real test of a car can only happen once you've

got past its exterior and interior and have

actually driven it

Q Toyota interiors have improved since the early days of the Etios...

• ••• But the Hyundai interiors are quite a bit more premium and well put together

• Rear room in i20 Active is less than in the Etios Cross but a-c vents are a plus

O Rear kneeroom is definitely more but there are no a-c vents at the rear

NEED TO KNOW

TOYOTA ETIOS

CROSS PRICE

Rs8.51 (OTR, Pune)

ENGINE 1,364 cc, In-line four, 16-valve,turbo-diesel

TRANSMISSION Five-speed hianual

MAX POWER 68 PS@3,800 RPM

MAX TORQUE 170 Nm@

1,800-2,400 RPM

- -

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SHOOTOUT i2Q Active irEtios Cross

E3 The Etios Cross gets a visibly smaller boot. It also doesn't get a 60:40 split-folding seat

• The i20 Active's boot is not only larger but also gets the benefit of 60:40 split rear seats, making it flexible

>IA MAY 2015 \yy»v.cajiri{Kfc.in

sorted in both the cars here and you'll be hard pressed to pick one from the other. Both cars will iron out bumps and ruts to roughly the same degree, isolating your posterior from the irregularities of the road beneath the wheels.

Under braking, you realise that the Toyota offers better bite and progression, which is a good thing. However, stomp on the brakes really hard and you'll feel that the i20 Active is a bit more stable under harsh braking than the Toyota. Finally, once you've driven both, you get down to the list of features that are available in each of the two range-toppers from the respective manufacturers. The Hyundai's equipment list is endless. From rear-view camera, to rear a-c vents to keyless Start/Stop to a fully automatic driver's side window to automatic

projector headlamps with cornering and follow-me-home function, the ho Active has everything covered. The Toyota's list is far more modest and will only cover the basics of creature comfort. , .

So, at the end of the battle, here's the score. The Hyundai ho Active beats the Toyota hands down in the following areas: styling and visual appeal, build quality, quality of the interior, fit-and-finish. boot space, and the sheer number of features. It is also the quicker of the two cars here. In the Toyota's favour, there's more room at the rear and better handling. It also feels sprightlier and has an engine that doesn't suffer as much from turbo lag, which makes it a lot easier to drive.

Overall then, the scales are loaded in favour of the ho Active, which comes across as a more rounded off package. But then there's always the tricky issue of pricing, for between the Toyota Etios Cross, which retails at Rs 8.51 lakh, and the Hyundai Ho Active, which retails at Rs 10.11 lakh, there's a Rs 1.6 lakh gap. So, if you're looking for value then we'd have to say that you should stick to the Etios Cross. As a vehicle it 's a fine one and feels better to drive. It'll also save you quite a tidy sum. However, if you're the kind who likes the premium feel, the stylish looks and the gizmos, then the Hyundai showroom is where you should be headed by now.

CS Hyundai's 1.4-litre CRDi unit is faster in the run up to 100 km/h and is marginally more fuel efficient too, but suffers from significant lag

• The Toyota 1.4-litre D-4D engine is a refined unit that produces a more linear power delivery with turbo lag disappearing by 1,500 RPM

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